


Liar, Liar

by Cones_McMurphy



Category: Nothing Much to Do
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Not Canon Compliant, Some angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2014-10-13
Packaged: 2018-02-21 00:32:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2448755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cones_McMurphy/pseuds/Cones_McMurphy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It happened the summer before Beatrice officially moved to Auckland. She and Benedick had ended up trapped in a mall elevator during a power outage brought on by the heat. It was their worst nightmare, being trapped in a metal box with each other for six hours." </p><p>Beatrice and Benedick have been secretly dating the whole time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Liar, Liar

**FEBRUARY**

 

It happened the summer before Beatrice officially moved to Auckland. She and Benedick ended up trapped in a mall elevator during a power outage brought on by the heat. It was their worst nightmare, being trapped in a metal box with each other for _six_ hours. At first, they argued, tossing blame and insults back and forth, like usual, but after the first two hours even Beatrice had to admit it was getting boring. The third hour was spent silently playing iPhone games until both their phones died, and they could only sit in tense silence. Benedick spoke first.

“Beatrice, why do you hate me?” He asked sincerely.

“Because you’re a dick.”

“No, I mean, really, what did I do? Something had to have happened, because we used to get on so well.”

“Ben…”

“C’mon, no one else is here, and I swear it won’t change anything. I just want to know.”

“Alright, fine. I liked you...I liked you a lot. And you kept talking about how love never lasted and how it was a butterfly that was just going to die or whatever.” Ben’s jaw fell open in shock. Of all the possibilities that he’d gone through in his head, he’d never even considered that Beatrice might've had a crush on him.

“I…I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you…I…I liked you, too, back then, but it was too much for my immature fourteen year old brain to process. It was terrifying, how strongly I felt.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Thanks for pointing out the obvious.”

“But, Ben…why do you still insist on being single now?"

“Why do you?” They’d moved gradually closer during this whole conversation and it suddenly occurred to them how close they were. Maybe it was the heat—it fried their brains—maybe it was the old feelings that had been dredged up, but something sparked inside of them at that moment. Neither one really knew who initiated the kissing, only how it felt. When they broke apart, breathless and flushed, it was Beatrice who found her wits first.

“That was…That was…”

“Yeah.”

“We should do that more.”

“I agree.” And then Ben was kissing her again and she wasn’t doing anything to stop it. But then he pulled away, “You’re the reason I don’t want a girlfriend. I _really_ like you."

“I…”

“I’m sorry, Bea, I thought that you…”

“Ben,”

“that we…I mean…you…and…the kissing?.”

“BEN”

“..Forget I said anything…”

“BEN FOR FUCK’S SAKE I LIKE YOU, TOO, NOW KISS ME AGAIN BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, YOU BIG DUMB GIRAFFE.” Benedick Hobbes didn’t need to be told twice. They spent most of the rest of their time in that elevator alternating between making out and starting to relearn each other.

“Should we tell the others?”

“Of course not, Ben. We’ll never live it down.”

“So…what do we do then?”

“We act like nothing has changed."

“But…”

“No buts. Can’t you hear Pedro’s smug comments? ‘ _I thought you hated each other’_ ‘ _Didn’t you say you’d die a bachelor’ ‘I thought love sickened you, Beatrice_.”

“You’re right, love. We’ll keep it too ourselves.”

 

* * *

 

 

**JUNE**

 

Beatrice seethed as she listened to her friends talk about how much Benedick liked her. _What the fuck? Why did he tell Claudio that he liked her? WHAT?!_ Angry and confused she sneaked back upstairs to her room and collapsed on the bed. _Why is this happening?_ She shot Ben a quick text, “ _Meet at the park in 15,”_ and ran back down the stairs. “I’m going to the grocery store, see you guys soon!” Beatrice was out the door before anyone could protest. She beat Ben to the park by a few minutes, and she spent it pacing and fuming. As soon as she saw him she yelled, “What the _fuck_? You told Claudio and Pedro that you have a crush on me? _Are you out of your mind?!"_ Ben crossed his arms.

“I did not! But you apparently told Hero that _you_ have a crush on _me_!” Ben laughed, because Hero already knew about their relationship. She was the one person Beatrice couldn't lie to.

“They’re setting us up!" Beatrice realized, with an irritated chuckle.

"Yup."

“Unbelievable!" Beatrice was grateful that Hero hadn't given them up. She made a mental note to thank her later.

“So what do we do about it?”

“I say we make confused, panicked reaction videos that make it perfectly clear that we _don’t_ like each other, with out letting on that we know,” Beatrice said it like it was simple, but Ben didn’t like it. It seemed to him that this was a sign that they should just admit that they’re together at this point, be he knew the look on Beatrice’s face. She wouldn’t relent, so he just sighed, and ran his hand through his hair.

“All right, love.”

 

* * *

 

**JULY**

 

Beatrice could barely take it any more. Her friends were evil. The brought up Benedick constantly in an attempt to fluster her, but it frustrated her more than anything. They wouldn’t let it go. She knew that as soon as they found out the truth it would be infinitely worse. That was what kept her going with the charade. She wished she could yell her love for Ben from the rooftops, but her rational side told her the teasing she’d receive wasn’t worth it. To top it all off, Ben kept complaining about lying to his friends.

“C’mon, Beatrice!” He moaned one evening as they sat on the top of the hill, “Why can’t we just tell them!”

“You know why.”

“I know, but I love you, and I want the world to know.” Beatrice’s breath hitched. He’d never said that before.

“You love me?” Beatrice’s voice had never been meeker, and she hated herself for it.

“Of course I do,” Ben smiled and took her hand, “I do love nothing in the world so well as you.”

“I love you, too, you sap,” Beatrice laughed, shoving him playfully with her free hand. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down with him, craning his neck upwards to kiss her. In the end, Benedick agrees to wait a little longer, and Beatrice goes home half elated, half guilty as hell. Ben deserved better.

 

* * *

 

 

**AUGUST**

 

Everything fell apart in August. Somehow Benedick neglected to mention that Claudio even suspected that Hero was cheating, which was bad enough, but he didn’t do anything to stop Claudio from slut shaming Hero on her birthday. Beatrice was royally pissed off, which Benedick expected well enough. He stayed behind after Hero’s birthday even though he knew Beatrice would be angry because he also knew she needed him there, whether she cared to admit it or not. After Beatrice finally comforted Hero to sleep, she came down stairs to see Ben was still there, cleaning up from the party. Good. She was afraid she was going to have to wait to rip him apart.

“HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?! YOU KNEW CLAUDIO WAS GOING TO DO THIS! YOU HAD TO KNOW! WHY DIDN’T YOU EVEN THINK TO MENTION IT? WHAT THE FUCK, BEN? HOW THE FUCK DID THIS EVEN HAPPEN? WHY IS PEDRO ON CLAUDIO’S SIDE? DO YOU FUCKING BELIEVE CLAUDIO?” Bea stopped for a breath, and Ben spoke up.

“All I knew was that Claudio thought that Hero was cheating. I tried to make him see reason, but he wouldn’t listen. You have to believe me that I had no idea that he was going to do _this_. I don’t condone it at all. And I don’t believe that Hero cheated. I just want to help you.” Ben kept his eyes locked on Beatrice. He could see her considering him, but he could also see the hurt and anger boiling inside of her. _Please let me help you_. 

“Okay.” Beatrice didn’t have the energy to fight him, and she could see by the way his eyes didn’t move and his voice didn't waver that he was telling the truth.

The next couple of weeks were hard. Rumors flew around school, and no one wanted to make eye contact with Beatrice. Some days Bea couldn’t bring herself to go into school and leave Hero and on those days Ben would bring her _and_ Hero’s work over in the afternoon. Beatrice hated that everything was so messed up, and she hated that Hero was so upset. Benedick was the only thing keeping her sane, and he knew it. He was the mood lightener, the support system that kept Beatrice from breaking in two. She had to be strong for Hero, but she was drowning in emotional turmoil herself. _Thank God for Benedick._

 

* * *

 

 

**SEPTEMBER**

 

After everything that happened at Hero’s birthday party, Beatrice didn’t really give a damn about what people thought of her, or what they said, to her face _or_ behind her back. She stopped shunning Benedick at school, stopped caring if they were seen together, stopped denying the truth when people asked. Balthazar, Ursula, and Meg were happy for Ben and Bea, although they were both a bit miffed that they’d been keeping such a whopper of a secret from everyone. Her friends did tease her, but it didn't really matter, she realized. What mattered was making sure that Hero was okay. Ben was simply happy to be able to freely call her his girlfriend, and that he no longer had to devote a portion of his focus to not calling her 'love' in front of their friends. And then of course there was the fact that he could kiss her anytime, anywhere. Holy shit, was that amazing. Ben was especially relieved to be able to enlist his friends' romance advice--especially with the song he wrote for her.

It definitely helped things that no one was speaking to Claudio or Pedro, though. Beatrice and Benedick both knew they wouldn't let up with the teasing so easily. Plus, were also pretty preoccupied with hatching their plan for revenge, which distracted them from the gossip about their relationship status. It seemed easy enough to convince them that Hero had taken ill, and to set up the vigil. They let Meg, Ursula, and Balthazar in on the whole scheme, and let them help plan it. And, of course, the vigil went as expected. Pedro and Claudio were guilty bastards, but they knew they were in the wrong. When Hero appeared in the middle of Claudio's speech, the entire group sighed in relief. For the first time in over a month it seemed like things might be okay, and Beatrice took Ben's hand. " _Thank you,"_ She whispered in his ear, " _Thank you."_

 

* * *

   

**OCTOBER**

 

The picnic was great, in most every respect. John came back and apologized to Hero, Pedro and Beatrice made up, and no one seemed to notice that Benedick and Beatrice were sitting practically on each other the whole time. The food was all delicious, and Beatrice made a mental note to plan her own picnic. _Ursula is a genius_. It was a little too windy for Beatrice's taste, but she got a good laugh out of the way Ben's hair stuck straight up. Beatrice thought that maybe she and Ben were going to be spared Claudio's and Pedro's meager attempts at wit, but then Pedro suggested "Truth or Dare". Ben made a valiant effort to detract from the idea, but it was no use.

"Alright, Benedick, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What's all this then?" Pedro asked, gesturing between Beatrice and Benedick.

"It's...What do you mean?" Ben played dumb, looking to Beatrice desperately. _Is it still a secret? What do I say?_ His eyes seemed to beg.

"You know what I mean. What's going on between you two?"

Ben opened his mouth to reply, but Beatrice cut him off, "It's a relationship. Two people who are very much in love and don't give a flying fuck what you have to say, Pedro _Douchaldson_." Pedro was stunned silent, so Claudio spoke for him.

"You're in love?"

Balthazar snickered, "What do you expect from two people who have been together since _February?"_

"February?! Seriously?! This whole time?!" Claudio whipped his head 'round to Hero, "Did you _know_?!"

"Yes, but Beatrice asked me to keep it a secret. She was afraid of being made fun of, I think." At this point Beatrice jumped back into the conversation.

"I was, but I realized this past month that I was wrong. All that matters is that Ben and I love each other. Who cares if we look like fools?" Beatrice finished to notice Benedick staring at her with all his love in his eyes, that classic goofy grin spread across his face.

"You're amazing, you know that?" He asked, leaning into kiss her before she could even respond.

"Aren't they adorable?" Meg sighed, and Beatrice lifted her middle finger without breaking the kiss.

 

 

 

           

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! This came to me randomly and I just had to write it out. It's not meant to totally follow the canon, but I tried to bend certain things to fit. I took the dates from the dates of the videos, assuming they were uploaded in real time. Also, sorry about the lack of Dogberry and Verges.


End file.
